Rotary steam engine



Nov. 8, 1932. b. ROSS ROTARY STEAM ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 17, 1930 Nov. 8, 1932. D. ROSS 1,887,043

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Filed'June 17. 1930 a Sheets-Sheet 2 v anal/Mugs.

NOV. 8, 1932. 13, oss 1,887,043

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Filed June 17, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 27 v 2/ Z9 25 I 2 18 ZT; I 7

Jaz'z'd 111080 Patented Nov. 8, 1932.

- DAVID ROSS, 01* nor PATENT OFFICE SPRINGS, ARKANSAS ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Application filed June 17,

This invention relates to steam engines, and more particularly to steam engines ,of the rotary type. p

The primary object of the invention is to provide a rotary engine including a rotor constructed in such a manner that an unbalanced, steam pressure will be maintained therein at all times, resulting in the rotation of the rotor and power shaft connected therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary engine wherein the maximum amount of power and speed will be produced with the minimum amount of steam.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically governing the speed of rotation of the rotor and power shaft, relative to the load, to insure an even and smooth running of the engine at all times.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a steam engine constructed in accordance with the invention. 1

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, a portion of the casing being broken away to illustrate the rotor operating therein.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line H of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 designates the casing of the engine, which is circular in formation,

I 4 and slightly greater in diameter than the diameter of the rotor operating therein, and to be hereinafter more fully described.

The casing 5 is formed with an opening at one side thereof, through which the hollow 1930. Serial No. 461,773.

ed into an opening formed in one side wall of the rotor 7, as clearly, shown by Figure 3 of the drawings. A suitable packing 8 surrounds the hollow shaft 6 and is held in position by the packinggland 9.

A. bearingmember indicated by the reference character 10, extends from the opposite side of the casing 5 and accommodates the power shaft 11, the bearing member 10 being provided with cut out portions'defining oil pockets 12 in which the chains 13, operate, the chains being loosely mounted on the shaft 11 so that theywill pick up oil in the pockets 12, and carry the oil tothe shaft for lubricating the shaft.

The rotor 7 is hollow and comprises a main section 14- and a disk-like head section 15 bolted to the section 14-, by means of the bolts 16, to the end that the rotor may be readily and easily disassembled to facilitate repairingand replacement. of parts, should they become worn or otherwise rendered inoperative. Positioned within the rotor 7 are steam chamibers 17 arranged at diametrically opposite points within the rotor, the chambers being of diameters to engage the inner surfaces of the sides of the. rotor; These chambers are formed with ports 18 that are disposed laterally thereof, the ports registering with the passageway 19 formed in the periphery of the rotor, to allow steam to pass from the chambers.

The reference character 20 designates cylinders that are secured within the rotor,the cylinders 20 being disposed on opposite sides of the rotor. Relief openings 21 are formed 7 in the ends of the cylinders 20 to allow steam 23' being also connected with the sleeve valves 24, by means of wrist pins 25.

Connecting rods 26 are also connected with the disk 22 by means of the wrist pins 27, the 5 shaft 6 extends, the hollow shaft being threadouter ends of the connecting rods being con nected with the control or governing pistons 28 that operate in the cylinders 20. Coiled springs 29 are mounted inthe cylinders 20 and are disposed between the pistons 28 and outer ends of the cylinders 20 to normally urge the pistons 28 inwardly, to the end that the pistons and sleeve valves of the rotor will be moved to the limits of their innermost movements, when the steam pressure to the rotor is cutoff. V v H p v Steam is supplied to the rotor, through the pipe 30 that connects with a suitable source of steam supply not shown, the pipe 30 discharging steam into the steam chest 31 that surrounds one end of the hollow shaft 6.

The sleeve valve 2& allows the steam to pass therethrough, from where the steam passes through the ports 18 of the rotor, and since the sleeve valves move over the ports under variable conditions of load, it will be obvious that a variable passage of steam is insured, producing an unbalanced steam pressure at the periphery of the rotor, to cause the rotor to operate in the direction of the arrow as shown by Figure 4.

Steam exhausts from the casing 5, through the pipe 32, after it has passed from the rotor, however, it is to he understood that the engine will operate efficiently when it is not housed in the casing 5.

In the operation of the device, steam entering the rotor through the pipe. 6, is placed under pressure because the diameter of the steam inlet pipe is greater than the combined diameters of the ports 18. The steam passes through the sleeve valves 17 and ports 18 where the steam is directed laterally, setting up an unbalanced pressure within the rotor, resulting in the rotor revolving, to rotate the power shaft 11.

Should the load on the power shaft be increased, the governing pistons 24 will be moved inwardly to the end that larger portions of the openings 18 are uncovered, al-

lowing a greater quantity of steam to pass through the sleeve valves 17 to increase the unbalanced pressure, resulting in the increase of power to overcome the increased load.

Should the load on the power shaft be decreased or the steam pressure within the rotor be increased, the steam will act against the inner ends of the governing pistons 20, moving the disk 22 to move the slide valves outwardly, covering portions of the ports 18 and decreasing the size thereof to reduce the quantity of steam passing from the rotor, decreasing the power of the rotor to the variance of load.

I claim:

1. A rotary steam engine comprising a casing, a shaft extending into the casing, a hollow rotor mounted on the shaft and operating within the casing, steam chambers disposed at opposite sides of the rotor and having openings establishing communication between the interior of the rotor and space between the casing and rotor, sleeve valves operating within the steam chambers and through which steam passes to the openings, cylinders arranged within the rotor, pistons operating in the cylinders, coiled springs within the cylinders and engaging the pistons to normally urge the pistons inwardly, a disk mounted on the shaft, connecting rods connecting the sleeve valves and pistons to the disk to rotate the shaft when steam is directed tothe interior of the rotor, and said pistons acting to govern the movements of the sleeve.

2. A rotary steam engine comprising a casing, a shaft extending into the casing, a rotor mounted on the shaft, a disk keyed to the shaft, steam chambers within the rotor and communicating with the interior of the casing, sleeve valves for controlling the passage of steam from the rotor through the steam shafts, connecting rods connecting the sleeve valves and disk whereby movement of the disk causes a relative movement of the sleeve valves to adjust the sleeve valves, and governors arranged within the rotor for controlling the movement of the disk and connecting rods, according to the speed of operation of the rotor.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

DAVID ROSS. 

